An optical disc such as a CD and a DVD allows large volumes of data to be recorded thereon easily. As the data recorded on the optical disc, for example, software, computer applications, computer files, video data, music data, and the like are listed as one specific example. Such an optical disc stores the data digitally. More specifically, a high-intensity laser beam is used to burn a small area of the optical disc (i.e. to change optical properties in the small area), so that a pit pattern according to the data to be recorded makes each small area reflective or unreflective. By this, it is possible to record the data onto the optical disc.
In recent years, in such an optical disc, a user's desired image, character, graphic, and the like have been frequently drawn on a label surface, which is a surface on the opposite side of a recording surface on which the data is recorded. Typically, a simple action of using a pen or the like to draw the desired image, character, graphic, and the like and an action of using an ink jet printer to draw the desired image, character, graphic, and the like can be listed as one specific example.
On the other hand, as a technology of drawing the desired image, character, graphic, and the like, there has been developed a technology of laminating a pigmented film or the like on the label surface and irradiating the label surface (i.e. the pigmented film) with a laser beam, to thereby draw the desired image, character, graphic, and the like onto the label surface (refer to patent documents 1 and 2). According to this technology, since the desired image, character, graphic, and the like can be drawn on the label surface using a hardware configuration for recording the data (specifically, an optical pickup or the like), it is possible to draw the clear image, character, graphic, and the like on the label surface, relatively easily.    Patent document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,297    Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2006-511034